


Unforeseen Circumstances

by mariatyler



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/M, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-10
Updated: 2013-10-10
Packaged: 2017-12-28 23:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/998403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariatyler/pseuds/mariatyler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU, Ten/Rose. John Smith is an author. Rose Tyler comes to work for him, and she ends up inspiring him in more ways than one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unforeseen Circumstances

He opened the door to find a young woman on the other side of it.

“Hello?” he said, confused. He had no idea who she was, although she did seem a bit familiar. He squinted at her, trying to determine whether he’d seen her somewhere before.

“Hello,” she greeted warmly, extending her hand towards him. “You must be Mr Smith. I met your wife yesterday. I’m your new, um, housekeeper/maid sort of person.”

“Oh! Hello, sorry!” he mumbled, shaking her hand. He gestured for her to come inside, and closed the door. “Sorry,” he apologised again. “She did mention something about you, but I’m afraid I was probably stuck in my writing and therefore completely ignored her.” He pulled an ‘oh dear’ sort of face, and she laughed.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell her,” she assured him. “My name’s Rose Tyler.”

“Nice to meet you, Rose. And you needn’t call me ‘Mr Smith’ by the way; John is fine,” he smiled.

She nodded amicably. “Right. Well, where shall I get started?”

“Um…” he trailed off, scratching the back of his neck in thought. “Wherever you like, really. I’m rubbish at all this…domestic stuff, so…” He shrugged, then his eyes widened comically. “Oh! Where are my manners – would you like a drink?”

She laughed at him again, unbuttoning her coat and setting it over a chair. “It’s all right, I don’t want to trouble you. I’ll sort myself out.”

“No, it’s okay,” he assured her, stepping into the kitchen. “I was just going to make myself some tea anyway, helps me think – would you like a cup?”

“Oh go on then, as you’re making one anyway, thanks,” she replied. She bent down and opened a cupboard, and noticed him glance at her curiously. “It’s okay, Mrs Smith told me where all the cleaning stuff was yesterday.”

He chuckled. “Ooh, don’t call her that, she’d hate it.”

“What do you mean?”

“She kept her maiden name when we married. Refused to take my boring one,” he explained.

“Yeah, I think I’ll keep my surname, too, when I get married,” Rose replied with a grin, hoisting the box of cleaning things onto the counter next to the sink. “Funnily enough, my fiancé’s surname is Smith, too.”

He glanced down at her left hand, noticing her engagement ring for the first time. “Ah, congratulations! When’s the wedding?”

She winced. “Oh, I haven’t set a date yet.” She gave a nervous laugh. “I suppose I’m putting it off for as long as possible.”

His brow furrowed in friendly concern. “Why’s that?”

She shrugged, titling her head thoughtfully. “Not sure, really. I s’pose I still feel too young, you know? But he kept asking, and I kept saying maybe, and then I’d feel bad, so…god, sorry, don’t know why I’m telling you all this!” she laughed.

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” he smiled, pouring out their drinks. “Well, I’m no expert in the marriage-and-commitment department, I’m afraid. How many sugars?”

She frowned in confusion, answering distractedly, “Just one, thanks,” before asking, “But Reinette said you’d been married for eleven years – if that’s not expertise, I dunno what is.”

“Ah, well…” he murmured, passing her a mug of tea. He mirrored her position, leaning against the counter. He fixed his gaze on the floor. “I’m not the greatest husband in the world.”

Rose shifted uncomfortably, unsure what to say to that. “No?” she inquired quietly.

He looked at her, shaking his head. “I’ve got this affliction, you see - ”

Her eyes widened and she scanned him almost imperceptibly. He chuckled.

“No, no,” he continued, in a reassuring tone of voice. “I don’t mean I’m physically injured or ill or anything – all I meant was, I’ve got this really problematic trait known as ‘egocentricity.’ I don’t mean to be so selfish; it’s just, the only thing I really find interesting is - ”

“Yourself?” she remarked, raising her eyebrows.

“My writing,” he corrected firmly. “I’m an author. And I sort of prefer creating my own little worlds to living in the real one.”

Rose cleared her throat softly. “Well. That’s why people read your books, I expect.”

“Hmm?”

“You write adventure books, don’t you? Sci-fi and fantasy, that sort of thing?”

“You’ve heard of me, then?”

Rose took a sip of her tea and nodded. “I’ve been reading your stuff since I was twelve.”

He winced. “Oh, that makes me feel really old.”

Rose laughed, and said, unapologetically, “Sorry. What I mean is, your books – well, all books – people read them to get away from their own lives and feel like they’re part of something bigger, better. Well, that’s why I read them, anyway.” She gave a shrug. “What I’d give to see the world, let alone the universe…” she murmured reflectively.

John smiled. “Ah, wanderlust.”

“Yeah,” she shrugged again.

“That’s how it is for me, too. Which is why I’m an abominable husband. Reinette and I hardly even see each other, you know.”

“She’s very successful herself, isn’t she?”

“Yep. I suppose neither of us really have time for each other’s interests. We’re too different.”

Rose nodded vaguely, trying not to ask, impertinently, why on Earth they were together then.

“I suppose you’re thinking why on Earth are we even together,” John guessed, with a wry smile.

She sipped at her tea and then set the mug down on the counter. “It’s really none of my business,” she pointed out. “I’m your cleaner.”

He furrowed his brow. “No, don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t say that.”

“But that’s what I am,” she replied in confusion. “That’s my job.”

“Yeah, but I don’t like it.”

She arched an eyebrow and folded her arms. “You don’t want me to work here? We’ve only just met and I haven’t started properly yet, surely I can’t have disappointed you already - ”

He laughed and put his mug next to hers on the counter. “Not what I meant,” he reassured her. “Not at all. What I meant was, I always feel too high-and-mighty when Reinette employs people to look after the house. Like I’m supposed to be in charge of what you do or whatever, when in reality I haven’t the faintest idea how to be an ‘employer.’ Or an employee, for that matter.”

Rose unfolded her arms but still watched him warily. “I expect you’ll be immersed in your writing most of the time anyway. I’ve no need to disturb you or anything.”

“On the contrary, I prefer to call new, er, ‘staff,’ ‘friends’ instead,” he smiled cheerily.

“Friends?” Rose repeated, trying not to laugh at his enthusiasm.

“Indeed. It’s handy, you know, having friends about the house to bounce ideas off of. For instance, one of the characters in my last novel was based on the woman you’ve replaced.”

She looked at him suspiciously again.

He chuckled, “You keep misunderstanding me. Don’t be scared off; I don’t mean she was my muse or lover or something sordid! I base my characters on all sorts of people I meet.”

“Right.”

“Maybe you’ll feature at some point too.”

She snorted. “Sure.” She paused for a moment then added, “And Reinette doesn’t mind you writing about all these women, then?”

“Why should she?” he asked, bemused. “We may not have the most conventional of marriages, but she knows that I haven’t the time, inclination, or enthusiasm to embark on a secret affair.”

“Well that’s all right then,” Rose laughed.

He smiled. “Yep.”

“Anyway, I’d better get started.”

“Sure, yes, right. I’d better get back to writing chapter four; it’s taking a while to get into this one.”

“You’ll have to give me some secret info about it, you know,” Rose said, as she gathered up the cleaning stuff to take to the living room. “I’m too impatient and nosy to not use this new job to discover a heads-up on what my favourite author’s new book is about.”

John sniffed, adjusting his tie. “Favourite author, eh?”

“Well,” she shrugged casually. “Yours are the only ones I read these days.” He looked very chuffed, so she soon added cheekily, “After all, they are the cheapest books in Waterstones…”

His eyes widened comically as he spluttered out a laugh. “Thanks very much!” He sighed dramatically and drained the rest of his tea before following her out of the kitchen. “I dunno what the world is coming to when my supposed number one fan doesn’t even appreciate the nuance and intricacy of my fascinating novels, just the price tag.”

Rose cleared the coffee table of several stacks of newspapers and magazines, then squirted polish onto the surface. “Maybe if you varied the themes a bit this time,” she suggested, tongue held between her teeth in the most infuriatingly lovely smile he’d ever seen.

“Varied the themes? I’ve written eight best-selling novels and have established a very specific genre for myself – why would I mess with perfection?” he asked, waggling his eyebrows. He sat on the arm of the sofa and watched her polish and dust for a few moments whilst she um’d and ah’d over her answer.

“Well…I suppose you could add a little bit of romance, maybe? He’s an awfully lonely man, your protagonist.”

“He has his friends along - ”

“Yeah, but…”

“But what?”

“Well, like, don’t you think it’s time he had a go at the love thing?”

“I don’t think he does that sort of thing,” he said primly.

“Ha. Okay then. Guess you haven’t been on the internet.”

“What do you mean?”

She stopped polishing for a moment to look at him. “The fans, Mr Smith. They write…interesting interpretations.”

“Are you included in this?” he asked curiously, leaning forward.

“Oh, god no. No. But I’ve seen some stuff. It’s all quite…detailed.”

“Hmm…”

“Anyway, I’m just saying that I think a good proportion of your fans would like it if he met a woman. Or man. Or whatever. If he met someone, anyway, who took his breath away. He’s always the cleverest man in the room and all that. It’d be nice to see him confused for once, and I think the sudden acquisition of a love life might provide the perfect cause of that confusion.” She paused, assessing his reaction. He was looking at her with a thoughtful expression. She added, “Anyway, that’s just my opinion.”

“Mmm. It’s…an interesting idea…” All of a sudden, his eyes lit up. “I’ll tell you what! Seeing as I’m not so used to writing that sort of thing, how about I give it a go, maybe, and then you could perhaps give a draft a read and see what you think? I’d hate to make a hash of it and lose my audience.”

“Sure,” she beamed. “I’d loved to. If you’re sure, I mean.”

“Excellent!” He jumped up and rubbed his hands together. “Right. I’ll let you carry on with this in peace whilst I go and see what I can come up with in this old unromantic brain of mine!”

Rose giggled as she watched him bound up the stairs to his office two at a time. “Blimey,” she murmured, then shook her head and continued on with her cleaning.


End file.
